Forsaken Freedom

18. Silk and Gunshots (iii)

Attention!
**This chapter is in 3rd person**

"Alright, comms check. Gentlemen and a lady, is my voice clear?" Kain's voice crackled through the earpieces, his team responding with a unified "Yes." "Good. Now listen to me very carefully," he continued, his red-soled shoes lightly tapping the car mat as his eyes focused on the ostentatiously lit-up mansion ahead, glowing like a Christmas tree. "I need you all to take off the comms." He swallowed, forehead furrowing as he pondered for a second.

His unexpected order caught everyone off guard, causing a moment of confusion. Senna, voicing the team's collective concern, asked, "Shouldn't we be keeping in touch, especially in situations like this? What if something goes wrong? And... if we're supposed to, wouldn't Carter have told us about this?" She hesitated, anxiously tapping her fingertips on her knee, carefully choosing her words.

"You're right," Kain replied, his forehead relaxing as his eyelids closed. "And if you'd given me a chance to explain, I would have. Listen up, everyone. This event is high-risk. These people are powerful, and they have the upper hand tonight. This ain't my first rodeo with a case like this. I'm absolutely certain they've got thorough security checks: metal detectors, X-ray scanning, the works. Anyone walking through the entrances will be frisked top to bottom, and not in a pleasurable way. As for Carter, I'm not sure what's going on in his head, but this is an obligatory precaution in high-risk events as such, he must've had his mind elsewhere. I don't care how you do it or where you do it, just hide the damn comms. Once you're inside, step aside as soon as you can and put them back in. Capiche?"

A few sighs and a collective "Capiche" followed before Kain removed his comms.

Holding the tiny device in his palm, Kain reached for his metal-framed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, swiftly removing them. His fingers deftly manipulated the two objects, fitting the comms piece into a small cavity he had prepared earlier. Once the device was securely concealed, he replaced the glasses on his face. Glancing at himself in the rearview mirror, ensuring everything was in order, he ran his hand over his face, letting out a sigh that whispered confessions of fatigue with a trace of anger. Adjusting the mirror back to its original position, Kain started the engine of his sleek, matte-black Dodge Challenger. The roar of the engine broke the silence. He put his foot to the pedal, making the tyres screech as he accelerated. Casually, he rolled down the window, resting his arm on the edge while his left hand skillfully controlled the steering wheel. Approaching the valet parking in front of the mansion's entrance, his demeanour remained calm and composed, exuding an air of belonging and confidence, as if he were someone the security should recognize just by face. Yet beneath the facade, he was anything but.

The harsh glare of the building's bright lights assaulted Kain's senses as he emerged from his car, stepping onto the crimson carpet at the entrance. Tossing his keys to the valet, he approached a man standing nearby, surrounded by a throng of guards patting down guests. Two guards held metal detectors, systematically checking each person after their names were diligently marked off the guest list by the man in charge.

"Name?" inquired the slim man, dressed in a cream-coloured suit that hinted at his youthfulness.

"Lieutenant Colonel Percy Sanders," Kain replied smoothly, his composure unwavering. The man scanned the list, his brows furrowing as his pen trailed over the names on multiple pages.

"I don't see you here, Sir," he remarked.

Kain offered a silent prayer before speaking confidently, "That's because I'm not listed. This guest list was finalized three months ago, and invitations were sent out accordingly. However, some last-minute invites were extended just this past weekend. I received one since I happened to be in the area and rang up my cousin. I thought I'd drop by for Riri's third grand event. You may know him as Ricky, Ricky Fernsby."